Brian and Jackie Cross: Our Exodus African Safari Diary Part 3

Tuesday 21 January 2020

Our Exodus African Safari Diary Part 3

We had been warned

Exodus trip: day 7 part 2

So did never see St. Lucia, but apparently we didn’t miss much. Back to the sister hotel for dinner which was very nice, though it was still ridiculously hot, 32 ish, but very VERY humid, and mosquito’y. We didn’t hang about, but Steven wouldn’t let us walk back the way we’d come, think he was was trying to avoid the park and possibility of seeing hippos. They are the most dangerous animal in Africa, but I still wanted to see one on the street. Chantel hadn’t let us go to look the previous night after she was charged by one relatively recently.

A little blurred, but clearly a hippo in the road on our way home

Tonight however she wasn’t there, we didn’t go looking, but suddenly, there on our right as we turned a corner, happily eating the grass, was a hippo. Fabulous, I was so happy, it made my day!

Exodus trip: day 8

This was the day Brian had been waiting for, the battlefields, Rorke’s drift and Isandlwana. He’s read a book on the Zulu wars, and we watched Zulu, with Michael Caine over Christmas, as my bit of homework (extremely dated).

There's our trailer - there might be a slight delay then!

Up and out, breakfast, and we’d been on the road a couple of hours. We were sitting at the front so he could quiz Chantel, we’d just had a really interesting conversation on apartheid, which had piqued others, so she’d done a little talk, when suddenly, strange noise, strange scraping noise, and sparks, as the trailer came alongside, it’s hitch grinding along the road! It veered right, got to the edge, the hitch dug into the ground and the two layer trailer, with all our luggage, and the fridge, lunch, cooking and eating utensils, chairs and table somersaulted axel over hitch finishing upside down in the ditch one wheel gently spinning!

In Mac's fish and chip shop, Empangeni, waiting for news of the trailer

The stunned silence was followed by immense relief that it hadn’t hit us and that there were no passing pedestrians or oncoming traffic. That would have been very messy. We stayed in the van, they went to look. To Steven’s relief the bolts had sheared, so it wasn’t his fault, he’d done nothing wrong, though we would have supported him to the hilt, he is a lovely driver, but the roads, gravel tracks and speed bumps have just taken their toll on two little bolts holding a trailer that is really too heavy for the bus.

A text from Chantel to say 'get lunch, still waiting for tow truck' was all we needed. Amusingly signs in amongst the menu on the wall there (that you won't be able to read in the photo) read 'Our fish is so fresh their relatives don't know they are here' and 'Eat fish, fish gives you brains. With brains you can make money, with money you can buy more fish'

The rebuilt farmhouse at Rorke's Drift where the battle took place

The decision was made for Steven to take us to the mall, 20 minutes back, to get us to safety off the side of the road while, Chantel got head office to sort out our problem. It wasn’t a good mall, the coffee addicts were disappointed to find the only coffee for sale in the pharmacy, but there was a fish and chip shop, down the end. Our arrival coincided with that of the boss who was a lovely man. When I explained that the trailer was upside down in the ditch and we needed somewhere to wait, for an unspecified time he was great, bring in that table, and please, make yourselves comfortable.

The hill at Isandlwana where the massive British defeat took place

By the time Steven got back to Chantel, two guys had stopped in their 4x4 and used it to right the trailer, so it was just wait for the tow truck and for some bolts. Amazingly, only three hours later, and on a Sunday too, we were back on our way. We’d all fortified ourselves with fish and chips and been warmly waved good bye to and we all have a grand dinner party story. Even lunch has survived, so apparently today it’s tossed salad!

The 'last stand' corral the British retreated to

The rest of the long journey was a breeze for us, beautiful scenery and just sit back. For Steven it was hideous, it was very hilly with the van struggling on both the ups and the downs and then we were in rain and mist with cows randomly appearing on the road. He looked shattered when we arrived at the Battlefields Lodge, having driven straight passed the battlefields.

Waiting in the carpark for our keys we were welcomed by a lovely ginger Tom, all was well with the world. What made such a difference was most of us had put fleeces

Battle recreation exhibit in the museum

on, it was down to 18 degrees with a fresh breeze. How very different from the morning in St Lucia! We also got roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for Sunday dinner!

Exodus trip: day 9

Chantel has done some logistics re-shuffling so we did manage a trip to Rorke’s Drift, B could have spent days, but an hour and a half seemed to be enough for everyone else.

Brian: the drive there was a bumpy one, back along the sealed road we had come in on and then turning off onto an uneven gravel road, muddy in places with a sign that said

Dabulamanzi KaMpande who led the Zulus into battle at Rorke's Drift

‘Rorke’s Drift Hotel 23km’. No wonder they wanted to leave the trailer at the hotel and pick it up later. After bouncing about for 10 minutes or so with good views of very pretty birds (Peter will identify) and the hill by the battle of Isandlwana, we arrived at the Rorke’s Drift Museum, the rebuilt farmhouse where the second, successful (for the British) battle took place. It was fabulous to stand there on the place where history was made and look at the hills around where Zulu warriors appeared striking fears into British defenders, but my excitement wasn’t really shared by anyone else.

The farmhouse and hill beyond over which many Zulus appeared

Chantel gave us one of her informative chats covering both battles and pointing out the various landmarks and then gave us half an hour to look round. She really does have a talent for these chats. If I remember correctly what she said and from my previous readings, the battle commenced on 22nd January 1879 after the expiration of an ultimatum from the British on the spot, to the Zulu King Chetshwayo that he couldn’t possibly accept. I say the British on the spot, as I read the British government were against the idea of conflict in South Africa as they

The Zulu memorial

were committed to conflicts in Eastern Europe with Russia following the Crimean war in 1855 & 6. Chelmsford went ahead anyway thinking he could win a quick battle and claim glory. We have guns, they only have spears - what could possibly go wrong! Over complacency let him to be duped by the Zulus to send a strong force of 3000 out leaving Isandlwana with only about 1500 mean. The 22000 Zulus who then descended destroyed the camp killing all but about 50 British who headed for Rorke’s Drift to raise the alarm.

The British memorial

With time to spare the 139 British at the farmhouse fortified the camp with boxes and mealy bags and waited for the 3000 Zulus. These Zulus were young inexperienced fighters hoping to wet their spears with blood (something each warrior needed to do in order to marry) and were led by Dabulamanzi KaMpande, the kings half brother, who was entering British territory against the express wishes of king Chetshwayo. The battle late in the day of the 22nd was memorable and featured in the now dated Zulu film. The Zulus, using their ‘horns of the bull’ strategy to spread out and completely surround the camp, eventually breached the fortifications, set fire to the thatched hospital roof and room to room combat took place as Zulus were picked off as they crawled through holes made in the mud walls. Eventually a last stand was made in a corral outside and the Zulus retreated, banging their shields as a sign of respect to British fighting. It is thought in excess of 800 Zulus were killed and only 7 British.

Plan of the farmhouse (used as a hospital at the time of the attack) showing in yellow the attack of the Zulus, in red the retreat of the British and in blue the escape routes. The rooms at the bottom were only accessible from the outside so holes were made through the internal walls by the British during their retreat, hotly pursued by Zulus

Much was made by Britain of this amazing victory and 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded. It helped to overshadow the massive defeat earlier in the day at Isandlwana and their chief, Chelmsford who took no part in either battle, being away somewhere on a false lead the Zulus left for him.

First pretty bird. Peter's not here to identify so I'll insert later. That tail is real

The original farmhouse still stands on the same footprint, although rebuilt and the museum inside well presented and informative. Monuments outside commemorate the dead Zulu and British. I for one was delighted to have gone.

In the aftermath Britain sent many more reinforcements and, in June of the same year, having learnt from their previous failure and the Zulu horns of the bull strategy, finally conquered the Zulus, capturing their king Chetshwayo and annexing the land to South Africa. The incidental was the death in battle of the son of Napoleon III who had been exiled to Britain from France and was

Second pretty bird. Again, I'll ask Peter later and insert what it is

fighting on Britain’s side. A headstrong individual he defied British orders and got himself killed causing an international incident. He was also the last of the Napoleon dynasty and, with him died any hopes of future Napoleon rulers of France.

We continued on from Rorke’s Drift towards the Drakensberg mountains, we came through some beautiful scenery till a little dirt turn off the road led steeply up to a farmhouse and cottages in the middle of nowhere. We have a beautiful little gingerbread cottage all to ourselves with a lovely view from the veranda, next door to ‘the big house’ which is Chantel, Stevie, and Peter and Ester. There are walks over the hills so we took the opportunity and did a quick 5km past the miniature horses, and the normal horses. All fairly regular so far, but now we have zebra and baboons on the hillside! That’s a little different! Have to say, this is idyllic, and we’ve got two nights here!

Our beautiful gingerbread cottage. Click the map top right for more photos

Exodus trip: day 10

Woke to find the view from the house had vanished, nothing but mist, coffee in bed and it’s cleared slightly. Breakfast in the big house at 07.30, delivered, as we are on B&B, so Chantel is cooking our dinners, before heading to the Royal Natal National Park. The trip notes said it would be a day walk, but looking at the rest of the group we had already limited our expectations, plus although it had cleared so we had beautiful views of the mountains the forecast was not brilliant. We stopped to meet a local guide who took us to see

The view from our terrace where I'm actually sitting now

some 800 year old cave paintings. Previous experience of cave painting has left me a little cold, however these did actually look like animals so that was good. We then headed to the visitor centre and on to the start of the cascades walk. When I say we had limited our expectations, we possibly hadn’t lowered them as far as a wheelchair accessible walk, but it was very pretty! Chantel took the two of us to see the steep path that is normally offered for those who want to do it to Tiger Falls, but as it would only have been the two of us, it wasn’t really an option, and the weather was beginning to come in, and the Tower of Pizza was calling for lunch! Huge lunch, even at one between two, and a

Views on one of our walks from the cottage

braai tonight. I think I must have put on a stone so far....loads of eating and sitting in the bus is all a little unusual for us.

A free afternoon, we could go for another walk, but actually we are just going to sit and chill, and stare at the view.

A family of ostriches at the Battlefields Lodge

And we finally saw a Springbok, the national animal of South Africa at the Battlefields Lodge

Our talk at the rock art site today

And here's the 800 year old rock art

the locals must have very strong neck muscles to carry this stuff

Up there, in the centre of this photo and snaking down leftwards is a waterfall. That is the Tugela Falls and, at 948m is the second highest waterfall in the world (after Angel Falls in South America)